International Grove is players’ haven

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – International Grove sits high above the Little League International complex and this Little League version of an Olympic Village gives the players from the 16 teams everything they could want during their stay.The most popular spots for the kids are the 1/4-size Olympic pool and the recreation room, where ping pong and video games rule the day.The Grove also has four connected dorms that house the teams. Each dorm houses four teams, two U.S. teams and two international teams.”Playing ping pong for the kids is the equivalent of us shaking hands,” Little League media representative Chris Downs said. “The first couple of days the teams are here you will see them playing games against teammates, but after that you will see them playing against players from other teams and a lot of ping pong tournaments going on.”Each player, manager and coach is issued an identification card they must swipe electronically to get in and out of International Grove, which is closed to everyone except players, coaches and Little League staff. Parents are allowed in the Grove an hour after games to meet with their children, but access is limited to a tent set up for the meetings.The Grove has a 24-hour infirmary and the Grove is under 24-hour security.The Grove also has two single-family homes that are used when teams have female players. The girls stay in the homes rather than the dorms with the rest of the players, but other than sleeping arrangements, they have access to everything the other players have access too. This year there are two female players, one with Saudi Arabia and one with Canada. It is the first time there have been two female players in the World Series since 2004.